Sweet Tooth
by Sekihara Tae
Summary: Unrepentant fluff. Tifa's been cooking for Denzel's birthday. cloti cloud/tifa cloudxtifa


**Pairing/Fandom:** Cloud and Tifa/Compilation of FFVII**  
Title:** Sweet Tooth**  
Prompt:** #23 Spoon**  
Rating:** T**  
Summary:** Unrepentant fluff. Tifa's been cooking for Denzel's birthday.

* * *

In honor of Denzel's ninth birthday, Tifa had decided to make cupcakes. It was really the easiest choice, as half the neighborhood kids – who played in and around Seventh Heaven, and seemed as excited about the occasion as the birthday boy himself – had begged and clamored for chocolate cake, and the other for yellow. A dozen little vanilla-scented confections now sat cooling on the counter, while she spooned chocolate batter into a like number of paper-lined muffin cups.

Satisfied that the batter had been apportioned evenly, she put bowl and utensil aside, and slid the filled tray into the hot oven. So focused was she on her task that she failed to notice Cloud watching from the doorway, and thus was surprised to turn from setting the timer to find him leaning against the counter, casually helping himself to some of the leftover batter.

"Cloud!"

Undeterred by the scold in her voice, he licked the spoon in his hand and merely raised an eyebrow.

Tifa stared as his tongue worked lazily, then blinked when she registered the slight curve of his smirk. Vowing to make a new house rule that he was not allowed to lick things, she swallowed, then protested half-heartedly, "I already told the kids they could have that!" He sighed, attempted a pout, and she went to put her hands on her hips – assuming what he called her 'voice of authority pose'. Unfortunately, her left digits were still sticky with batter, having been used as an impromptu spatula. Stopping herself just before smearing her apron and shorts, she reached for a towel, vaguely registering the clatter of Cloud's discarded silverware as it landed in the sink.

Reaching out he grasped her wrist, tugging her closer and preventing her from wiping her hand. "Well, if the bowl is off limits," he teased, "I should at least get to sample what the cook is having." Then his mouth closed around her pointer finger, gently sucking and licking at the chocolate smeared there.

Toes curling and knees going weak, she grabbed his shoulder with her free hand. It felt insanely, ridiculously good. As her eyes closed and her lips rounded in a silent O of surprise, he pulled her flush against him, her legs straddling his thigh. "Mmmm," the innocent sounding utterance rumbled through his chest and vibrated through his mouth to caress her fingers. Tifa's hips surged against him in reaction. Ever-so-slowly he released her first digit, then went on to the next, treating it to the same thorough attention before shifting to her thumb. His tongue flickered against her nail, laved her knuckle, then retreated as he nibbled on the fleshy pad. When finally he finished, placing a kiss on her forehead and wrapping his arms around her waist, she was panting and whimpering for more.

For all that they were standing, fully clothed, in the kitchen, he may just as well have been making love to her. All the places he liked to tease and taste were tingling and at attention, leaving her feeling flushed and warm and cherished... albeit needy and naughty and a great deal like she should drag him upstairs to their bedroom.

Sighing, she snuggled into his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him to return his embrace. "You're a very bad influence, Cloud," she told him, voice muffled and breath teasing his skin. He only chuckled, and spun her around with a nudge toward the oven as the timer went off.

"Tell Denzel I'll be back in time for dinner and presents," he said, slipping past her as she opened the oven, allowing the delicious scent of warm chocolate to waft over them both. Pausing, he considered the now cool cakes resting on the counter.

Watching him out of the corner of her eye she grabbed the towel she'd reached for earlier, and snapped it at him. "Don't you dare!"

"Alright, alright!" Tilting his head to the side he held his hands up in a promise to behave, even as he considered something that brought a mischievous gleam to his eyes.

"Out, Cloud," she ordered, smiling, before he could cause any more trouble. "Go do your work and let me do mine."

With another smile and a wave, he disappeared out the door, and it was only after she heard the rumble of Fenrir's engine that she noticed he'd taken one of the cupcakes after all.

"Cloud!"


End file.
